- Part 1: The Sentinel Event: Pediatric Discharge of an infant to the wrong family.
- Summarize the facts related to the sentinel event:
- Description of the event
- Staff involved
- Discuss the timeline events from initiation of the error through the resolution (will vary depending upon the sentinel event):
- When and/or where did the error occur?
- When was it detected?
- When was it reported and to whom?
- Evaluate procedural errors:
- Identify the point in time when the error should have been detected before it occurred.
- What part of the process or procedure was missed that contributed to the sentinel event?
- Analyze accreditation agency (e.g., OSHA, ACHA, CMS, CDC, CLIA, TJC, AHCA, state agencies) requirements:
- Identify which agency(s) would be involved
- Define the agency’s purpose
- Discuss the agency’s reporting expectations based on the incident
Part 2: Root Cause Analysis: Fishbone Diagram create diagram
Part 3: Root Cause Analysis Report
- Create a root cause analysis.
- Identify the data you would collect to determine the cause.
- Give your rationale for choosing the data.
- Identify the probable cause, which may include a process failure, human error, cultural biases, policy error, systems error, technology failure, etc., that may have contributed to the sentinel event. Consider the following as applicable to your chosen event as you complete this segment:
- What human factors were relevant to the outcome?
- What process errors were relevant to the outcome?
- Were there any steps in the process that did not occur as intended?
- How did the equipment performance affect the outcome?
- What are the other areas in the health care organization where this could happen?
- Did staff performance during the event meet the expectations?
- Develop a corrective action plan that is geared towards eliminating future events.
- Explain the steps of implementing the corrective action plan. Consider the following in developing your response to this component:
- Identify risk reduction strategies
- Improvement of processes or systems
- Communication barriers—for example, discuss the communication breakdown that might have contributed to the sentinel event, or what barriers may have occurred to cause the breakdown in communication (e.g., residual intimidation, reluctance to report a coworker, missing information at time of transition of care, etc.).
- Training (e.g., orientation, professional development, cultural competency, skills training, in-service)
- Equipment (e.g., technology, maintenance, and updates)
- Policies and procedures (e.g., new or revised)
- Explain the steps of implementing the corrective action plan. Consider the following in developing your response to this component:
- Describe the monitoring process that will be used to evaluate the success of the corrective action plan.
- Analyze the components that may require the reallocation of budgetary resources. Consider the following as applicable to your sentinel event:
- Legal action
- Public relations (reputation leading to decreased revenue)
- Equipment and supplies
- Training and education
- Patient-centered communication methods (e.g., informed consent, procedural education, patient involvement [identify or mark the location of the surgical site])
- Staffing (e.g., reallocating staff, role responsibilities, hiring temporary or permanent staff)
Paper requirements:
The Executive Summary to CEO capstone assignment
- Must be a minimum of 10 double-spaced pages in length (not including title and references pages)
- Must include a separate title page with the following:
- Title of paper
- Student’s name
- University Name
- Course name and number
- Instructor’s name
- Date submitted
- Must utilize academic voice
- Must include an introduction and conclusion paragraph. Your introduction paragraph needs to end with a clear thesis statement that indicates the purpose of your paper.
- Must use at least eight credible sources within last 10 years.
